Billboard magazine has claimed that The Rolling Stones are getting set for a short series of tour dates this Autumn, with two appearences in London's 02 Arena and two more in the Barclay Centre, Brooklyn, New York. Quoting a mysterious 'source', the site claimed that bearded megabucks Richard Branson, and Australian promoter Paul Dainty will promote the shows, and that the Stones will net somewhere in the region of $25million for their involvement.

The band were in a studio together in Paris just last week, apparently writing new material, with front man Jagger tweeting a picture of himself holding a guitar. Previously they had denied that they would play any shows in 2012, although Keith Richareds has since dropped a couple of hints to the BBC that this may not be the case, telling the station that

"We're playing around with the idea and had a couple of rehearsals...We've got together, and it feels so good." The 68-year-old guitarist added: "There's things in the works; I think it's definitely happening. But when? I can't say yet."